e15163 Background: Compared to MVAC, HD-MVAC achieves significantly higher complete response rates in patients (pts) with metastatic bladder cancer. Based on current literature, 7%-38% of pts with muscle-invasive bladder cancer achieve pathological down-staging (pT0) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC), which correlates with improved disease-free and overall survival. The role of HD-MVAC has not been evaluated in the neoadjuvant setting. In this retrospective study, we present our data in pts who received NC with HD-MVAC or GC followed by radical cystectomy (RC).
METHODS
From July 2008 to August 2010, 38 (pts) received 4 cycles of NC with either HD-MVAC or GC for at least T2 bladder cancer followed by RC. The endpoints of interest of this study were the complete pathologic response (pT0) or down-staging to <pT2 (pT0, pTis, and pT1) at RC; and median interval to RC from the time of diagnosis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and start of NC.
RESULTS
Fifteen pts received neoadjuvant HD-MVAC, and 23 received neoadjuvant GC. Clinical T stage at the time of diagnosis was T2 in 29 (76%), T3 in 3 (8%), and T4 in 6 (16%) pts. Down-staging to <pT2 was achieved in 8 (53%) of HD-MVAC pts and 10 (43%) of GC pts. pT0 was achieved in 5 (33%) of HD-MVAC pts and 9 (39%) of GC pts. The median interval from time of diagnosis to RC was 129 days (range 84-154) for the HD-MVAC pts, and 145 days (range 108-252) for the GC pts. The median interval from initiation of NC to RC was 85 days (range 53-122) for the HD-MVAC pts and 107 days (range 60-126) for the GC pts. Overall, NC was well tolerated with 80% of HD-MVAC pts and 78% of GC pts completing the planned chemotherapy. To this date, none of the pT0 pts had recurrence.
CONCLUSIONS
Both neoadjuvant HD-MVAC and GC appear to be well tolerated, with very promising rate of pathological down-staging. Longer follow-up is needed for the survival outcomes of these patients. A proper multimodality care for pts with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder with delivery of NC in a timely manner might be an important contributing factor to our very good institutional outcomes.